"So… this is it…" I said, looking at the tiny cottage.

"Guess so," Remus said, putting down his suitcase to search for the keys.

"Look, Remus if you want to go home now, I'll be fine here by myself."

Remus shook his head.

"No way. I'm here to stay."

"That rhymes…" I giggled. "But seriously, you don't have to feel guilty or anything, I don't need anybody here."

"I know, and I am here for the long run. For better and for worse."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Okay, well, you can leave whenever you want."

"Agreed! Now, time to live life on the edge," Remus grinned, punching the air.

"Time to grab life by the balls!" I grinned. Remus raised his eyebrows.

"No pun intended," I said hastily, trying to hide my smile.

"Well, sounds like fun…" Remus said slyly. "And no bastards are likely to ring the doorbell…"

I licked my lips.

"Maybe this derelict shack won't be such a bad place to live after all…"

And it wasn't. When we got inside, it turned out to be a pretty okay place, probably due to the enlarging enchantments Dumbledore had put on it. But something was still worrying me. It was obvious that James would choose me as Secret Keeper. I would never, ever willingly give up their whereabouts. I would die. I would die painfully. I would let him torture me until the ends of time rather than betray my friends. But… what about non-willingly? What about if Voldemort possessed me or Imperioused me or read my mind? I wasn't entirely an accomplished Occlumens. I was terrified that the small nugget of information that only I could reveal would be taken from me. Unless…

What if I wasn't the Secret Keeper? What if I switched with somebody else? The perfect bluff. Voldemort would of course think it was me. But no matter how much he tortured me, he would never get the information from me. He would come after me, while the real Secret Keeper would be safely hidden away!

I looked down at Remus, who was curled in the foetal position, snuffling peacefully as he slept. Sighing, I left the house, locked the door quietly behind me and Apparating. I felt the cold wind hit my face as I reached my destination, and breathed in deeply.

"Sirius?" asked Dumbledore, striding to my side quickly. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I had, well, an idea on how to make the Potters safer."

"Go ahead…"

After I had finished explaining, Dumbledore surveyed me over his half moon spectacles, his spindly fingers entwined.

"Did you have anybody in mind for this Secret Keeper?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Well, I thought, maybe Peter. He is a bit weak, I do admit that, but he's a good friend, and I think it would be a good con. Voldemort would never expect…"

"Very well, I will make the arrangements, if Peter is also in agreement."

I looked at Dumbledore, who appeared uneasy.

"Sirius… I have some bad news. Your brother was murdered earlier today."

I stared at him. I felt as if somebody had poured a bucket of ice over my head.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"Why? By who?"

I was praying that Dumbledore wasn't going to say that he had done it, or James. I knew that Regulus was a Death Eater, but I would hate to find out that one of the Order had killed him."

"By the Death Eaters, on Voldemort's orders it seems."

"Oh…"

I'm not going to pretend that I was heartbroken, but I was shocked. Killed by the Death Eaters? Did that mean he had betrayed them?

"Sirius, go home now, and rest. I will send you an owl when I have sorted out everything with Peter. But for now, don't worry." Dumbledore said gently. I nodded curtly, and walked off. I Apparated back to our shack, and opened the door quietly. But not quiet enough. Remus's eyes snapped open, and he stared at me.

"Where have you been?! I was worried sick!" he said accusingly. I walked over to him, and took his outstretched hand, pressing it to my lips. Finally, I said

"I was seeing Dumbledore."

Remus looked quickly up at me. His piercing eyes, stronger than Veritaserum. I could never lie to those eyes; never say no to those eyes. I looked away, telling him about Regulus, but not about Peter. I couldn't burden my lover with such problems. I thought vaguely about running away. But he would find me. And I couldn't live without him. As I lay, enfolded by his sleeping arms, I wondered what we were to do. I prayed the war would be over soon, and everything would be back to normal.